Take With You

Today's Date

The Slowpoke Tail Soup simmered on the burner, all that was missing was the tails.

From the doorway of the classroom, Ash looked directly into Serena's sparkling sapphire-blue eyes as she did the same to him and his chocolate-brown eyes. Both had butterfrees fluttering within their stomachs, and both were speechless for a heavy amount of time. Though, the time passing never bothered either of them as they stood from each other at a step's distance.

What used to be worry and uncertainty on Ash's mind whittled away merely by Serena's presence alone. The thoughts of the final exam that weighed on Ash's mind for the longest time seemed to melt, and the fear of not being able to see Serena due to not graduating diminished.

"S-Serena..! Hey! Uhh-" Ash stuttered nervously hiding the small remaining amount of school-related stress behind a straight face. "Is it really you..?"

One corner of Serena's mouth curled up slightly, she inhaled, then exhaled slowly and spoke at the at the last stretch of her breath, "...It's really me!" Her eyes watered.

Ash began to wonder why she was here at all. He subconsciously took her left hand with his right and held it comfortably, "What are you doing here? How'd you even find me?" He asked curiously.

The moment Ash casually took her hand as if it was nothing special, Serena made sure to always look Ash in the eyes so he couldn't look away and potentially see the goosebumps forming on her skin. Within her mind was the constant war between choosing to stay calm, versus pulling Ash closer and into her embrace.

"Serena? What's wrong?" Ash started to worry. With a strong tug at his arm, he fumbled forward where Serena caught him around his neck.

The war within Serena's mind was fought, and her selfish desire to hold Ash right away had won the battle. Every second that passed, she held onto him a little tighter, but not enough to make it hard for Ash to breathe.

"I'm only here on vacation," Serena said in a softer tone right by Ash's ear. She smiled, but he was unable to see.

"Vacation?" Ash also began to speak in a softer tone. As he noticed Serena's embrace tightening slowly, he stopped worrying and focused on how soft her skin was, and how sweet her honey-golden hair smelled. His arms slowly wrapped around Serena's body and his hands crept up her back. "...Vacation huh? I could use one of those." Her heartbeat was soothing, and her body was warm.

"You still have to keep your promise, you didn't forget, did you?" Serena asked. "You said you were coming back, and I expect you to keep your word so you have to make it outta this classroom," she said encouragingly.

"I'm definitely coming back for you!" Ash said as he and Serena let go and pull away from each other. As they stood only inches from each other, Ash unknowingly kept his right hand on Serena's arm just so he and her weren't completely separated.

"Just for me?" Serena grinned with light in her smile.

Ash's cheeks lit up a warm red color, he began to panic at his questionable choice of words, "Oh!- I... Sorry, I also would love to see Clemont again too..!"

"Huh?" Serena wondered.

While keeping up the straightest face he could hide behind, Ash mentally facepalmed hard enough that his forehead in real life actually started to rise in temperature as if he were feverish.
'What the heck were you thinking saying something so stupid like that!?' He thought.

After mentally preparing to try to break down what he actually wanted to say, Ash panicked and jumbled up his words. "NO! T-that's what n-not I meant..!" He stuttered. "I don't care about Clemont!.. Or, well, only as a friend, you know I- ...But, Serena-you! You're who I r-really really want to,"